Back in the NHL after the season-long lockout, Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kesler celebrates a goal against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs and an unhappy Tie Domi at GM Place during the 2005-06 campaign.Steve Bosch
/ Vancouver Sun files

Ryan Kesler (left) hangs out with teammate Todd Bertuzzi in the team's dressing room as the Canucks close the book on their 2005-06 season. Only two months later, Bertuzzi will be an ex-teammate as he's traded to the Florida Panthers for, among others, goalie Roberto Luongo.Peter Battistoni
/ Vancouver Sun files

Ryan Kesler gets acquainted with a new head coach in Alain Vigneault (right) at the latter's first training camp with the NHL team in September 2006. That camp was held in Vernon in the B.C. Interior.Jeff Bassett
/ Vancouver Sun files

New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro has evidently had enough of Ryan Kesler, whacking him over the head with his glove during a January 2008 NHL game at GM Place.Jeff Vinnick
/ NHLI via Getty Images files

Canucks centre Ryan Kesler autographs a copy of the Raise a Reader edition of The Vancouver Sun for Becky Gigian in September 2008.Ian Lindsay
/ Vancouver Sun files

Ryan Kesler looks for an opening in this shorthanded breakaway — he would score — against the Florida Panthers during this NHL game at GM Place in December 2008.Stuart Davis
/ Vancouver Sun files

Ooooh, that smarts! Ryan Kesler skates off the ice after suffering an injury against the host Dallas Stars in an NHL game at the American Airlines Center in March 2009.Ronald Martinez
/ Getty Images files

Ryan Kesler puts his arm on the shoulder of teammate Taylor Pyatt at an April 24, 2009 practice, in Pyatt's return to the Canucks after the death of his girlfriend in a car crash.Ian Lindsay
/ Vancouver Sun files

Vancouver Canucks star Ryan Kesler plays Silna Cownay in a game of Wii ping pong at the Sports Celebrities Festival in support of the Canucks for Kids Fund and the BC Special Olympics in Vancouver in October 2009.Richard Lam
/ Vancouver Sun files

Makayla Kesler and her dad, Canucks star Ryan Kesler, take in the annual Canucks Superskills competition at General Motors Place last January.Les Bazso
/ PNG files

USA forward Ryan Kesler celebrates a goal against Canada during the men's gold medal hockey game at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver's Canada Hockey Place on Feb. 28.Yuri Kadobnov
/ AFP/Getty Images files

Ryan Kesler of the United States finds it tough going accepting an Olympic silver medal after his team came so close to knocking off Canada in the championship game at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics on Feb. 28. The U.S., powered by Kesler's play, pushed Canada to overtime before succumbing 3-2 on Sidney Crosby's golden goal.Luis Acosta
/ AFP/Getty Images

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks talks about his contract with reporters on Friday at GM Place.Ian Lindsay
/ PNG

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks celebrates his first-period goal against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday at Rogers Arena. His second goal of the night forced overtime and eventually a shootout.Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun
/ Vancouver Sun

Sharoo Kanwar (right), age 14,) had his picture taken with Vancouver Canucks player Ryan Kesler (left) by his mom at Children's Hospital in Vancouver December 6.Arlen Redekop
/ PNG

The Canucks' most valuable player midway through this season? Ryan Kesler (above) in a cakewalk with nearly 80 per cent support of vancouversun.com readers, followed well back by Henrik Sedin at nearly 12 per cent, brother Daniel at around eight per cent, and Alex Edler and Roberto Luongo at just over one per cent each.Ric Ernst
/ PNG files

Young fan Sean Dolphin looks on as Vancouver Canucks star Ryan Kesler skates past the glass prior to a Feb. 2011 NHL game at Rogers Arena against the Boston Bruins.Ric Ernst
/ PNG

Ryan Kesler is presented the Vancouver Canucks' most exciting player award by former Canuck Dave (Tiger) Williams prior to the Canucks' final regular season game of the 2010-11 NHL season.Mark van Manen
/ PNG

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks wets his hair during the team's game against the visiting Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena on March 31, 2011. The Canucks won 3-1 and captured the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular season team.Jeff Vinnick
/ NHLI via Getty Images

A smiling Ryan Kesler talks about Game 4 of the Canucks-Chicago Blackhawks series in April 2011, a seven-game set in which he held Blackhawks star captain Jonathan Toews to a single goal.Ian Walker
/ Vancouver Sun

Ryan Kesler — fat lip, missing tooth and all — celebrates his goal on Saturday, May 7, 2011 against the Nashville Predators in Game 5 of their second-round NHL playoff series at Rogers Arena. Kesler had an outstanding performance yet again that night, though his team fell short in a 4-3 loss. Two nights later, the Canucks would clinch the series in Music City with Kesler again leading the way with a two-point night in a 2-1 win.Les Bazso
/ PNG

Ryan Kesler tries to give his Vancouver Canucks an emotional lift, tagging Boston Bruins defenceman Dennis Seidenberg with a right hand during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final at Boston's TD Garden on June 6, 2011. The Canucks took an 8-1 drubbing in that game.Bruce Bennett
/ Getty Images

A bearded Ryan Kesler (left), along with teammate Chris Higgins, hold forth for the media in the buildup to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins on June 14, 2011 in downtown Vancouver.Mark van Manen
/ PNG

Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kesler, winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward, shows off his new hardware at the NHL's annual awards show on June 22, 2011 in Las Vegas.Jeff Gross
/ Getty Images

Saskatoon loves its Christmas lights. The Enchanted Forest draws thousands of vehicles each week. The late Bob Hinitt worked for months building his light display, which drew thousands of cars each year to Wiggins Avenue. And Scott Lambie on Clinkskill Drive has continued the tradition with more than 70,000 dancing lights (up from 50,000 last […]

When it comes to gift giving, they say it’s the thought that counts. But many are wondering if Mayor Drew Dilkens was thinking at all when he gave Olympic superstar Michael Phelps — whose battles with booze are well known — a big bottle of Canadian Club whisky.

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